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Rupert Spira & Rupert Sheldrake: The Nature of Consciousness



Rupert Sheldrake

Rupert Spira is an international teacher of the Advaita Vedanta direct path method, author of several books, including “Being Aware of Being Aware” and “The Nature of Consciousness: Essays on the Unity of Mind and Matter”. He hosts retreats in Europe and the US, as well as weekly webinars. He’s also a notable ceramic artist.

https://non-duality.rupertspira.com

Dr Rupert Sheldrake, PhD, is a biologist and author best known for his hypothesis of morphic resonance. At Cambridge University he worked in developmental biology as a Fellow of Clare College. He was Principal Plant Physiologist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and From 2005 to 2010 was Director of the Perrott-Warrick project, Cambridge.

https://www.sheldrake.org

by Rupert Sheldrake
Ways to Go Beyond And Why They Work
https://www.sheldrake.org/books-by-rupert-sheldrake/ways-to-go-beyond-and-why-they-work?yt=Spira

Edited by Sebastian Penraeth

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41 thoughts on “Rupert Spira & Rupert Sheldrake: The Nature of Consciousness
  1. Such a simplistic view of the universe. Let us tell the parents of my neighbor who lost their daughter after she had been kidnapped, raped, and tortured for 2 weeks that pain and suffering are god’s gifts to us or that they are worth the price of having god experience himself (god sounds like a teenage girl.) Spirituality is the key to mediocracy and delusions.

  2. Frome the primordial Self, It’s like a jump of faith, an explosion of archetypal energy’s in the unknown, trusting a recognition of the love of itself whatever the infinite possibility’s

  3. Great talk. I Guess what ultimately matters regarding this topic, is the recognition if you’re coming from a place of belief or a place of realization. Whether it’s one or the other do we see where we are coming from? What we see does not matter but do we see ? Blessings

  4. Dear Rupert:
    Please see the article below for a scientific (mathematically formulated) explanation based on modern physics (the holographic principle of quantum gravity) that explains in more exact scientific terms what you are trying to inexactly say in words:
    https://scienceandnonduality.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/why-the-old-physicalism-paradigm-is-false-and-science-only-has-validity-in-a-new-one-world-per-observer-paradigm-2.pdf
    You can also find a discussion about this connection between science and nonduality at:
    https://scienceandnonduality.wordpress.com/
    Once you understand what modern physics is telling us about the ultimate nature of reality, you can see there really is no significant difference between what Advaita Vedanta says as expressed by Shankara and the Christian mystical tradition as expressed by Meister Eckhart. Brahman=Godhead=Void, which as you say is infinite and undifferentiated (unlimited and undivided) while Atman=Self=I Am=Observer is finite and differentiated (limited and divided). What divides and limits Atman from Brahman is a holographic screen that projects all the images (forms of information) of the observer's holographic world, which in turn are animated in the flow of energy through that holographic world. That holographic world is an illusion in the same sense a computer generated virtual reality is an imaginary illusion (images projected from a screen and animated in the flow of energy). The holographic principle not only explains how the images are created as forms of information encoded on a holographic screen and how those images are animated in the flow of energy, but also how the observer's holographic screen arises from the void whenever the observer arises from the void. The images of the observer's holographic world are projected from the observer's screen to the observer's central point of view. This is all inherent in the mathematical formalism of the holographic principle.

  5. I align with Spira, that we're one being clothed in a variety – an array of beingness, expressing shared beingness, love, a relationship that undulates like breath, a movement like a symphony, like the ebb and tide of the ocean, a dance of life. I felt that religion was too small via a NDE in 1970, and quit the church. My feeling of connection grew.

  6. PODDAJĘ W WĄTPLIWOŚĆ

    Niedualność – stan psychologiczny i fizyczny zarazem, w którym świadomość, obserwator oraz świadomość obserwowanego obiektu są nierozdzielne. Mentalny stan niedualności może być na tyle intensywnie świadomy, że staje się fizycznym stanem niedualizmu i przyczynia się np. do poprawy warunków życia.

    Stan niedualny logicznie jest poza nazwami, koncepcjami i myślami, chociaż nazwy, koncepcje i myśli mogą się w nim przejawiać. W związku z tym wszelkie dalsze rozważania oparte na werbalizacji i konceptualizacji zjawisk zachodzących w niedualiźmie nie mają sensu jeśli chodzi o „pogłębianie” stanu niedualnego. Zatem jest to osobiste, pełne głębokiego wyrazu doświadczenie. Doświadczenie niedualizmu nawet jako przebłysku „osiągane” jest nie poprzez wysiłek skupienia czy koncentracji umysłu a poprzez rozpoznanie stanu faktycznego.

    Stan niedualności może być rozumiany jako zwieńczenie poszukiwań duchowych, jak pisze ojciec benedykt Bede Griffiths – „racjonalny umysł czerpie z doświadczenia naszych zmysłów i przez to ze swej natury musi być dualistyczny. Widzi on wszystko w kategoriach przeciwstawieństw: ducha i materii, przedmiotu i podmiotu, prawdy i błędu, dobra i zła.[1]”

    Niedualność występuje we wszystkich zaawansowanych systemach duchowych i jako taka jest celem ostatecznym najróżniejszych praktyk przygotowujących[2] adeptów do rozpoznania, zaufania i utrzymania stabilności w tym stanie.

    Konferencja światowa Science and Nonduality skupia od lat osoby i społeczności zainteresowane oraz aktywne w tym temacie.

    TYLE INORMACJI Z WIKIPEDII

    CHOĆ "nauczyciele duchowi potwierdzają tę definicję"

    A JA MÓWIĘ ŻE NIEDUALNY , ŻE CAŁA NAUKA O NIEDUALNOŚCI JEST BŁĘDNA

    JEST ODCIĄGNIĘCIEM ISTOTY CZŁOWIECZEŃSTWA OD MOŻLIWOŚCI REALIZACJI SIEBIE

    OD REALIZACJI SWOJEGO POTENCJAŁU

    OD REALIZACJI UKRYTYCH W CZŁOWIECZEŃSTWIE MOŻLIWOŚCI

    JEST ODEBRANIEM TOŻSAMOŚCI KTÓRA MOŻE BYĆ WIECZNA JAKO INDYWIDUALNA TOŻSAMOŚĆ -TYM JEST MIĘDZY INNYMI REALIZACJA

    w rozumieniu nauki o niedualności jest błąd , niedualność porzuca dary porzuca cel ,porzuca intencję z jaką człowiek się narodził

    niedualność jest brakiem rozpoznania siebie , brakiem rozpoznania celu, jest chybieniem celu jest zaciemnieniem a nie oświeceniem ,

    niedualność jest nauką '"jak stracić skarb" – "jak stracić wolną wolę" "jak stracić tożsamość- nieraz wypracowaną wielkim wysiłkiem przez wiele wcieleń"

    ISTOTA DOSTAJE OSOBOWOŚĆ , TOŻSAMOŚĆ W JAKIMŚ CELU , W KAŻDYM ŚWIATŁYM DUCHU JEST UKRYTY ZALĄŻEK NIEOGRANICZONEGO ROZWOJU , NIEOGRANICZONEGO POZNAWANIA

    NIEDUALNOŚĆ PORZUCA TO WSZYSTKO , CAŁY POTENCJAŁ I WRACA DO PUNKTU WYJŚCIA Z PUSTYMI RĘKAMI , TO TAK JAKBY PÓJŚĆ DO SKLEPU Z PEŁNYM PORTFELEM PO ZAKUPY I WRÓCIĆ BEZ PIENIĘDZY I BEZ ZAKUPÓW I BYĆ Z TEGO DUMNYM , ŻE WRÓCIŁO SIĘ DO PUNKTU WYJŚCIA I JESZCZE O TYM NAUCZAĆ INNYCH NAZYWAJĄC TO ROZPOZNANIEM SIEBIE

    JESTEM KTÓRA JESTEM W OBLICZU MOJEGO UMIŁOWANEGO BLIŹNIACZEGO PŁOMIENIA

  7. By Rupert Spira's way of reasoning, the sun would be more conscious than a human being, because it has less complex experiences. Human beings have difficulty divesting themselves of their ego identities because these identities are so overwhelming and engaging. The sun is just 'gas' and although it has some experiences of a physical kind – there is nothing very much to distract it from its essential existence as consciousness. Therefore, wouldn't the sun be more conscious than a person?
    Spira seems determine to maintain that the basic grounds for panpsychism are untenable. Right at the end of the talk he does seem to concede this, reluctantly.
    If consciousness is all that there is and everything comes form consciousness, then everything must be conscious.

  8. The discussion can be laid out with two analogies:
    Most people are maybe used to thinking about the "external world" or reality as being there all the time even when we are not looking – like if you turn on and of your flashlight in the dark, all the objects in the room seem uneffected. Rupert Spira suggests that it works more like a videogame, where there seem to be an objective world but it is only there when we look because it is actually generated by our computer(consciousness).

  9. AT 5:49. Whether we or I look at a tree — it's the activity (in us) of God's Pure Consciousness Mind — okay, I agree but WHAT about WHEN no humans existed? — The Tree still existed AND in who's or what mind?? The same for a planet, a star (Sun). I can understand that the things (objects) in the world are in my (consciousness mind) and not my mind in them (objects) — because I, (from) my mind (consciousness) have created (a cause/effect) 2 my place (state) here and perceive trees/ planets. Perceiving The Grand Canyon cannot be the same as my creation of ITs cause. A grain of sand in my hand — its perception of IT is my perception of it — which is from my mind — YET, as the planets were being formed and sand existed — in who's or what mind did it /does it exist? Our planet (matter) rotates around the sun IE matter rotates around consciousness SO consciousness is first and the matter is second.

    IF a perceiver doesn't exist to perceive (a grain of sand) surely the grain of sand still exists?

    I would think my perception (which I understand is illusory and not real yet it comes from Pure consciousness…

  10. Beautiful discussion and synthesis of the vedic and abrahamic philosophies. These are the fruits of seeking truth beyond dogma.

    In Sanskrit the letters BRHM (where the name abraham comes from) carries multiple meanings – what can be loosely translated to "the one beyond comprehension" and also "one who satiates/fulfills endlessly" – Brahman was originally used as the name for the infinite God – limitless source of all creation – who created through his Voice (Vac).

    The letters for Allah/Eloh/Elaha ا ل ه carry multiple meanings and are derived from other root words – الوَلــَـه (al-walah) which is endless love/fulfilment which we can only get from God – wallaha – which means bewilderment/amazement/beyond finite comprehension – and aliha which translates to worship/reverence itself meaning true worship is only experienced when directed towards God and no other.

    The RuH (ra ر = repetion/order, Ha ح= life) i.e. the eternal soul is what we can call the breath of God. All souls originated in God's presence in perfect light and harmony.

    Few quotes:

    Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) Saying:

    Souls are troops collected together and those who familiarised with each other (in the heaven from where these come) would have affinity, with one another (in the world) and those amongst them who opposed each other (in the Heaven) would also be divergent (in the world).

    Ash-Shura 42:11

    فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا وَمِنَ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ أَزْوَٰجًاۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِۦ شَىْءٌۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ

    (He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle: by this means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things).

    Al-An'am 6:103

    لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ ٱلْأَبْصَٰرُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ ٱلْأَبْصَٰرَۖ وَهُوَ ٱللَّطِيفُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ

    No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.

    Fussilat 41:53

    سَنُرِيهِمْ ءَايَٰتِنَا فِى ٱلْءَافَاقِ وَفِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

    We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?

    Qaf 50:16

    وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ

    And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein

    Al-Hashr 59:19

    وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَأَنسَىٰهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَٰسِقُونَ

    And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the transgressors.

    All primordial uncorrupted faiths teach worship of the ONE INFINITE creator – self subsisting – independent- in need of none but all depend on him – Al-AHAD – ONE and Indivisible – beyond form/definition/limitation – unlike any created thing – perfect – unchanging.

    Infinity can only be ONE. We can't add or subtract or divide infinity. Any number divided by infinity is 0 – non existence- self annihilation in the presence of God.

    Many "spiritual" traditions end on ego death / releasing the spirit from the shackles of mind and body but that's only where the true journey to know God begins as God is infinite and for creation it is an endless journey.

    Christ called to find God within- same as every prophet/messenger/enlightened being in the past.

    Linguistically the word "religion" means to "reconnect". In sanskrit the word Dharma translates to "universal law". In hebrew/arabic – the word "Deen" means "true judgement" but also "to lower" – meaning truth is only understood through vertical causation- when we compare things to things – atoms to atoms – dust to dust- it is only horizontal causation and cannot be used to reach truth. The pursuit of truth is to seek what is above and beyond us – relating finite to the infinite.

    God's veil is perfect light and if it were not for the veil creation within darkness would annihilate – what is behind the veil is beyond imagination. To see God directly is the highest bliss above every paradise- to experience the presence of God is not something that can be put into words – but an experience that is beyond the 5 senses. The vision of God and knowledge of God for us is an endless journey that will increase our own light for eternity – there will NEVER be a point where any soul can say they have complete vision and knowledge of God. Our spirit/soul that originates from the breath of God is therefore also infinite as it was made to know one beyond limitation/set definitions.

    Nir malam – beyond material impurity/pure.

    Nir gun – beyond set attributes/definitions

    Nir va na = beyond the voice – the ripples in the waters of life that reflect light is the realm of created beings – God is not a being within a finite void or contained in any space but the ONE who speaks creation into existence and who's voice manifests the waters of life – SheVa source of the voice not a thing – beyond contraction/limitation/form.

    When one studies etymology- we will find that this concept and division of "religion" amongst mankind does not actually exist…it's a recent invention – not something the ancients understood.

    Dogma and blind faith are destructive and a symptom of sloth – which is spiritual/intellectual laziness.

    Truth is universal and not limited to any script, language, creed or race – but universally recognised by the heart.

    We can find God through the universal practices taught in every tradition: meditation/prayer/fasting/charity/keeping the law – avoiding sexual immorality and harnessing human libido, diet free of negative energy (tortured animals/earth polluting) etc.

    All prophets were
    examples for us to follow and emulate. The methods to purify the soul are universal and not contingent on any dogma but how we live our lives.

    Peace

  11. Spira is in love with the idea of locality….when you want to undermine the idea of time and space….why lean on the metaphor of locality? Still clinging..

  12. I never quite understood this Eastern mania for annihilating all individuality. Why this fear and loathing of the ego? Why spurn the gift of selfhood? Why not more life? More individualization? There is much validity to Nietzsche's condemnation of Plato.

  13. In those closing statements you could see that Spira has "seen" the intellect for what it is and has moved on or expanded out from it. Good lad.

  14. lovely episode, both pointing to a similar thing, but one Rupert is making it simple and foundational, and one Rupert needing to add some more layers in :). Great conversation to observe

  15. I love the idea of our connection to higher conciousness but non-duality is overly-speculative and leads to mind games, imo. We are an individual wave in a larger ocean of consciousness and that's enough for me. Anymore is pure philosophizing and overthinking our existence.

  16. Consciousness is an emergent phenomena, synergetic, and without language we, like animals, would have awareness but not be conscious and have no ego. The complexity of the language determines the level of consciousness.

  17. If man want to make devices as can do mental functions, man must copy the way Life does.
    The basic picture of our Eternal Consciousness, is;
    Memory-Instinct-Gravity-Feeling-Intelligence-Intuition-Memory, it shows a circuit, of Eternal basic-abilities.
    If we take any of these abilities away, (thought-experiment) then the consciousness would not work.
    You recognize some of the Eternal abilities in the computers, at least four of them is needed.
    Well, this is just the naked basic of our eternal consciousness, just to keep it short.

  18. Beautiful dialogue. Spira is really self-realised, enlighted or awake, I guess Sheldrake 'only' realises everything is consciousness in his wonderful mind, and his knowledgable approach (he's a superintellectual) inspires Spira to really deepen the matter, sharp as a razorblade, makes beautiful pointers to steer you to That for which there are no words. Thx, Ruperts.

  19. . . . . how wonderful to listen to two great thinkers speaking on the most important subject of all, that of the very nature of consciousness – if we don’t have an accurate understanding of this, what hope is there to understand anything that is only appearing in consciousness.

  20. If there is a god I wonder why it would even be there in the first place.. for what reason would there just be this God thing all on it's own… where did god come from.. what was the point of it coming in the first place.. why is there a god ?

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